Latest update April 11th, 2025 9:20 AM
CPC’s delays not of his own volition-Greenidge
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is of the opinion that the Chief Parliamentary Counsel (CPC), Cecil Dhurjon, not completing the coalition’s amendments to the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill is not of his own volition.
According to APNU’s Chief Financial Spokesperson, Carl Greenidge, based on all indications, when the Special Select Committee meets tomorrow; it will be dealing with the confirmation of minutes as against dealing with the completed APNU Amendments.
Greenidge said that given Dhurjon’s experience in the field of drafting law, it is inconceivable to think that given so much time, he is still unable to complete the amendments.
APNU’s Carl Greenidge
Responding to the Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall’s recent statements that the CPC was having problems with completing the draft, given its ramifications, Greenidge said that this is not the position of the CPC.
According to Greenidge, Dhurjon’s place is to draft what was presented to him and if he has any reservations this should be submitted to the Parliamentary Committee, in an accompanying note.
Greenidge recalled that on February 26, last, when the Committee met, Dhurjon told the members that he would complete the draft by the following day at 11:00hrs.
As such Greenidge suggests that for him to still be unable to complete the amendments means that it is not of his own volition.
Greenidge maintains that the delays, has nothing to do with Dhurjon’s ability to draft the amendments. The coalition will not be buying into any more fabrications by the Attorney General, he added.
“It’s a sad day when you cannot trust the Attorney General of a country,” said Greenidge.
The former finance minister also questioned why the Attorney General is seeking to pronounce on the drafting of laws when he has no experience in the field.
Greenidge said that the CPC has not made any further queries on what is required of him or any clarifications on the drafts and as such should supply the committee with the completed amendments and if he has any reservations pen a letter to the committee.
Nandlall recently told media operatives that “the one-seat majority is engaged in a singular quest and that is to grab Executive power from the government.”
He was speaking specifically to one of the proposed APNU amendments which calls for the appointment and composition of the Financial Intelligence Unit, to be decided on by Parliament as against the Minister of Finance.
Nandlall told media operatives that the move is consistent with the efforts of the political opposition over the past two years.
According to the Legal Affairs Minister, the opposition is looking to direct Executive policies by way of Parliamentary resolutions.
The Parliamentary Committees, which are controlled also by the opposition, are being used to “coerce policy down the throat of the Executive,” according to Nandlall.
He used as an example the motion which called on the Minister of Finance to, among other things, transfer money from entities such as the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited.
Nandlall said that when the Minister failed to adhere to the resolution piloted by APNU, the opposition political party moved to have the Minister committed to the Committee of Privileges with a view to institute sanctions.
Nandlall also used as an example the “ordeal” of the Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee.
A motion of no confidence was passed against Minister Rohee, which called on the President to remove him in that capacity. When this failed, according to Nandlall, the Opposition then moved to have him gagged from speaking in the House.
“They want to determine in the legislature who shall function as Executive Ministers, when the Constitution says that those are powers reposed in the President and in the Executive arms of Government”
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